


ancient mariner's song

by bluewalk



Series: 30_onepiece: Sanji [23]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-31
Updated: 2011-12-31
Packaged: 2017-10-28 14:03:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/308624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluewalk/pseuds/bluewalk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[#25 mermaid] <em>this is not what she had imagined</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	ancient mariner's song

“Hello,” the thing says, smiling with its sharp white teeth. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

This is not what she had imagined, this gaunt thing with the grey, scaly skin, hair a blonde almost white, and eyes luminous and pale. She isn’t sure what she had imagined, only that this is not what the songs and stories had led her to believe and she doesn’t like the reality one bit.

The thing cocks its head to the side, and she wonders if it can even see with those eyes, here on land with the sun shining bright. “Hello,” she dares an answer. “Are you a—”

The thing laughs and it sounds like rocks clattering against rocks and it sounds wet and it sounds eternal. “Yes,” the thing says, in a voice both soothing and discordant. “Can’t you tell?”

She stares at the row of slits in its cheeks, its grey tongue. “You’re not what I expected.”

“I get that a lot,” the thing says. It flashes its macabre smile again, flicks its long fishtail in the sea foam. “I look better underwater.”

“I don’t care what you look like.” She chances a step closer, feet sinking in the wet sand of the beach. “I just need to know if you can do something for me.”

“And what would that be?”

“I need gold,” she says. “A lot of it.”

“That’s easy, hardly a creative request. I can give you all the gold you want.”

“Need,” she corrects. “How?”

The thing holds out a thin, webbed hand and its white eyes cut right through her.

She walks into the water, the tide pulling and pushing. She takes the proffered hand and a shiver goes through her at how cold and clammy it is. Fingers like ice grasp her tight. The songs don’t mention this part.

“Are you ready, my darling?” A voice like gravel and ocean waves, haunting melodies.

She thinks of Nojiko and of Genzo and of her little village. She thinks of Arlong. She looks at the grey hand in her hand and she thinks, surely this thing cannot be more of a monster.

The tide pulls her under, suddenly.

Waves crash onto an empty shore, stretching level and far.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted 30 October 2011
> 
> [Super awesome bonus art by the ever-amazing Sybile](http://-syb.deviantart.com/gallery/9494306#/d4ejlei)!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Chinese translation on "ancient marinier's song"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/411962) by [renata](https://archiveofourown.org/users/renata/pseuds/renata)




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